2011 Hornet Front slide Leak

[mrdegold1]

Hi All
We have a 2011 Hornet Platinum 31rbds we purchase new.
We had taken it out several times in 2012 however this is our first trip out in 2013. The trailer was setup level left to right and front to back as well. We went out last night and while out it started raining very hard. when we arrived back at the rig we found that the front slide was leaking from the front molding and the cabinet as well. I went up and looked at the slide from the outside top and the rubber gasket was flat against the roof and the slide was fully open.
This is not the first really heavy rain that we have been setup and camping during
The way we got the leaking to stop was to pull the slide in a few inches which slowed the dripping and pretty quickly stopped completely. It rain hard again overnight and we did not notice an additional leaking.
Our sofa is wet as well as our dining area and the carpet in that area. Some of the molding near the floor seems to be damage as well.
I have a few questions.
What could have cause this to happen?
What can I do to prevent this from happening again?
What can we do to clean the water and water stains?
Would this be a warranty claim.?
Would this be covered under insurance?

Thanks for the help
Michael

[Festus2]

Unfortunately it would not be a warranty claim because Keystone has a 1 year warranty which has expired over a year ago. Even if was still under warranty, it would not likely be claimed because it is a "leak" and Keystone rarely, if ever, covers leakage or any damage resulting from that.

If you take a look at the Keystone warranty found in the first part of your Owner's Manual, it will probably tell you that this type of damage is not covered and what the owner's responsibilities are to prevent leakage.


Would this be covered under insurance?

I doubt it but you may have a policy that would cover this. Read the fine print and take a close look at the exclusions - it should tell you there. Most extended warranties have an exclusion regarding leaks - they are not covered.

Check the roof and all the corners/edges where the molding meets the sides and bottom. Make sure any molding is well sealed and caulked. Is the roof of the slide slanting away from the unit when the slide is fully extended? If it is level or slanting towards the RV, that would allow any water to flow towards the RV, under the seals and into the interior.

Once the carpet and sofa are completely dry (try a fan to speed up the process), and you see water marks, you might rent a carpet cleaner and see if that will remove any stains. Upholstery cleaner might do the trick for your sofa.

[fla-gypsy]

Festus is giving you sound advice. All slides are prone to leak at times and some adjustment is necessary. Assuming it was leaking from the top down and if the wiper seal was fully extended as you stated I would examine the area carefully above the slide exterior to ensure all seams and joints are properly sealed. Even the smallest gaps can allow water intrusion during heavy rain. Once that is addressed you may want to adjust the outboard side of the slide down slightly (it has adjusting jack screws) to create a tighter seal at the top. You will also want to make sure that debris has not collected on top of the slide and been drug in where the inner seal makes contact with the interior of the wall. If it is leaking from some where other than the top please indicate that for more information.

[2006sprinter]

How would you adjust it to tip back as the sprinter we just bought leans towards the inside of the camper and we are getting water inside thanks in advance.

[Festus2]

When you "level" the Sprinter, the roof of the slide out should have a slight tilt or slant away from the body of the RV. This allows any water to run away from the slide and unit.
Perhaps your unit is sitting so that the slide out is slanted the wrong way. Try placing some boards under the wheels of the opposite side.

Adjustments can be made to the slide itself and directions for doing this can be found in the Owner's Manual from Lippert. Go to their website (www.lci1.com) to download it but you also need to know if your slide out is hydraulic or electric motor operated.

Check the rubber seals all round the slide to make sure that they are in good order and "folding in" and out properly when the slide out is retracting or being extended. Also have a look at the bottom edge of the slide and check the caulking around the metal trim piece.